Joint Protection

You can protect your joints by changing positions frequently to prevent stiffness, taking care to avoid joint positions that may be painful, or placing excessive pressure or stress on joints, as in kneeling and heavy lifting. Slide heavy objects where possible to avoid putting stress on your hands. Sit preventing excess stress on lower extremities when possible. For example, use a stool in the kitchen when preparing meals, doing dishes, or ironing. Have chairs and desks at home and at work at correct heights, preventing strain on your back. Avoid low chairs, which stress the knees, when getting up or sitting down.

Caring for Your Joints

Simple everyday tasks involve almost all body joints. We can care and look after our joints by performing these tasks in a correct way; or we can cause undue stress on our joints and perhaps even damage them. In the following pages, the right and the wrong ways of performing everyday tasks are illustrated.

Avoid Activities That Cause Prolonged Pain

You will be able to detect the difference between pain and discomfort. Avoid letting pain last longer than 15 to 20 minutes. Performing exercises may make you uncomfortable if you haven’t done them for a while, just as it does in individuals who don’t have arthritis. Keep this in mind when you do housework, participate in sports, or do the exercises.